


Hidden Beauty

by hlravensnest_archivist



Category: Highlander: The Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-30
Updated: 2005-03-30
Packaged: 2018-12-16 22:07:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11837979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hlravensnest_archivist/pseuds/hlravensnest_archivist
Summary: Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived atHL Raven's Nest. Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address onHL Raven's Nest's collection profile.





	Hidden Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HL Raven's Nest](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HL_Raven%27s_Nest). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HL Raven's Nest's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hlravensnest/profile).

Hidden Beauty by RSS

  
  
  


_Hidden Beauty_

By RSSacchi 

* * *

Amanda and Nick drive to an old church with Neo-Gothic architecture, seemingly out of place among the modern office buildings. Amanda had been to this church, but it has been over a century ago. There are a couple marked and unmarked police cars around the church. As they walk up the church's steps they sense another Immortal as Father Liam comes out of the church to meet them at the top of the steps. 

"Nick, Amanda, I'm glad to see you. The police are just wrapping things up." Father Liam leads them into the church where they see heavy damage to all the statues and the altar. It looks as if someone took a hammer to the place. 

"The lock to a side door was broken. That's how the police figure the perpetrator or perpetrators got in." 

Nick turns to Father Liam. "How much was stolen?" 

"As far as we know, nothing." 

They walk from alcove to alcove; each statue has damage, apparently from hammers of different sizes. When they reach the alcove with a statue of Saint Michael the Archangel with a sword to the devil's neck, Saint Michael's head is knocked off. Nick takes a long look at the head on the floor then looks at Amanda. 

"You?" 

Amanda nods "yes" and takes a look at the familiar face of the devil. They sense another Immortal and Father Liam rushes towards the front door. Moments later Wandisa Mattera walks into the church. 

"Speak of the devil." 

Wandisa opens her mouth wide and puts her hands to her face. She has on a long powder blue dress with a tartan scarf over one shoulder. Father Liam leads her to Amanda and Nick. 

"Wandisa, I didn't know you were in town." 

"Actually, I've got a villa just outside the city." Wandisa looks at Saint Michael's statue. "Oh no. What kind of a barbarian could do such a thing?" 

Father Liam whispers, "At least in this case you have the original model available." 

"It's good to see you again, Amanda. I just wish the circumstances were better." 

"You must be-" 

"Nick Wolfe, he's new to The Game. I'm his teacher and sometimes partner. He's a private investigator." 

"You'll find who did this?" 

"We'll find them." 

"You make a beautiful couple." 

"An inspiration, Wandisa?" 

"Perhaps." 

* * *

**VERONA, 1635**

Amanda walks down a street in the early evening and senses another Immortal. Spinning around, she sees someone duck around the corner, but only saw a flicker. She runs to the corner to find the street deserted. Drawing her sword, she cautiously follows the sensation, rounds another corner and moves her sword into a defensive position. A rapier strikes hard against Amanda's sword and she parries with her attacker, a woman in rustic clothing. As they lock swords, Amanda notices that the woman is slightly shorter but more robust than herself and has a mannish face. 

"You are a woman," her opponent exclaims. 

"You are dead." 

"I do not want to fight you." 

"You shall have to." Amanda pushes the woman back, who runs backward then holds her sword's blade with the point towards the ground. 

"I said I do not want to fight you! I thought you were a man." 

Amanda lowers her sword. "You just try to kill men without warning?" 

"When you followed me I thought you were a man after my head." 

"That is not the only reason why a man would follow you." 

"It is not the only reason a man would follow you. I cannot think of another reason why a man would follow me." 

"I am Amanda." 

"I am Wandisa Mattera." They sheath their swords. "Why did you follow me?" 

"Curiosity." 

"You risk your life for curiosity?" 

"You are a woman, too. We are supposed to be curious." 

"I never heard that." 

"Are you not curious which of us would have won?" 

"Not curious enough to risk a head." 

"We could do everything but the beheading. We can go to holy ground if you do not trust me." 

"I trust you, but I see no reason why you should trust me." 

"That is reason enough." 

"Very well." 

Amanda and Wandisa face each other, draw their swords, and salute. They parry. Wandisa is a skilled fighter but Amanda is faster. Wandisa is soon on the defensive and Amanda trips her, causing Wandisa to fall flat on her back. Amanda puts her foot on Wandisa's chest and her sword to her neck. Amanda gives a smile then steps back and helps Wandisa to her feet. 

"You are inspiring. You have beauty, grace, and magnificent fighting skills." 

"Wandisa, I am flattered." 

"I am merely telling the truth. Would you consider posing for a sculpture?" 

"You know someone who is an artist?" 

"Yes, I know some artists, including myself." 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

Amanda is in Nick's office as he looks over pictures the police took at the scene. "How well do you know Wandisa?" 

"You can't suspect her?" 

"She seemed very emotional over what happened." 

"She's an artist. She has a great passion for beauty and one of her works was damaged. One of her better ones if you ask me." 

"When did she make that statue of you?" 

"When they built the church in 1848." 

"Could someone have done it to get at her?" 

"Another Immortal?" 

"Yeah." 

"If another Immortal wanted to get at her ... well, you know how we settle such things." 

"Only too well." 

"She's not the kind of person who makes enemies. She's done a lot of artwork over the years. The first one she did of me is still in a church in Verona." 

"She seems like a nice person. How long have you known her?" 

"Almost 400 years. She is a very nice person. I just wish she wasn't so self-conscious about her appearance." 

"Maybe that's what makes her a great artist, like Michelangelo." 

"You're turning into a renaissance man." 

* * *

It's early evening and Nick and Amanda drive behind Wandisa as she leads them to her villa. Amanda has a newspaper in her lap with a headline that reads; "Second Church Vandalized." 

Nick shakes his head. "We have two churches vandalized in three weeks. Priceless artworks are destroyed and nothing is stolen." 

"It's all so senseless." 

"Unfortunately it makes perfect sense to whoever did it." 

"When we find a motive then we'll find the culprit, Sherlock?" 

"Something like that." 

Wandisa turns onto a private road and Nick follows. They park their cars and Wandisa leads them into the villa, giving them a quick tour of the house before she takes them into an outdoor garden. In the center of the garden is a bronze statue of Saint Michael the Archangel with a spear to the devil's neck. Saint Michael has Amanda's likeness and the devil is a self-portrait of Wandisa. 

Wandisa takes them into a greenhouse that she converted into her studio. Amanda scans the inside and realizes there are probably more likenesses of her in this room than the rest of the world. Wandisa enthusiastically draws Nick's attention to an alabaster statue depicting Amanda in ancient Greek armor and Wandisa as the decapitated gorgon. 

"I completed this one in '95 ... 1895." She draws his attention to a ceramic statue of Amanda driving a stake into a vampire Wandisa. "I completed this one in 1935. I couldn't sell it; I think it was ahead of its time." 

She walks over to a statue depicting Amanda shooting a red Wandisa with a ray gun. There is a prism between the gun and Wandisa's chest. 

"Approach this one slowly." The prism changes colors as they approach. "This is the moment before I go poof." 

Nick gives a smile. "It's all very impressive. Wandisa, did you have any artwork in the other church?" 

"No." 

"Sure?" 

"Pretty sure. I keep pretty good tabs on what I have on public display. If I could look at a list of what's at the church." 

Nick takes out a manifest and hands it to Wandisa; she looks at the list. "No none of these are mine." Wandisa pulls up a stool and pats it. "Nick, you first, after all, I already have a good idea what Amanda looks like." 

Wandisa opens a statue's base and takes out a drawing tablet and some pencils. 

* * *

**PARIS, 1853**

Amanda is in Wandisa's studio, marveling at the depiction of her as Saint Michael the Archangel. "Well, I am flattered." 

"Thank you, Amanda." Wandisa open the door at the base, puts her tools inside, and closes the door. 

"What is that?" 

"Take a look." Wandisa opens the door and points inside the hollow base. "The support beams make it strong enough to support the statue. It is also a bit lighter so it makes it easier on the workers. As you can see it also has another use." 

"Yes, I see." 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

Amanda watches as Wandisa makes detailed drawings of different parts of Nick's face. 

"Wandisa, do you have any other statues in churches here in Paris?" 

"Two, one is in Notre Dame-" 

"Too visible." 

Nick turns his head toward Amanda. "Amanda, what are you thinking?" 

"The two churches vandalized were beautiful churches, but not to the level of historical landmarks." 

"In other words, just below the level of heavy security." 

"There is visible security at all the churches in this category but one." 

"Very good, Amanda." 

* * *

Nick drives Amanda to a church. She checks her handbag, containing a coffee thermos, two sandwiches, a microphone, a flashlight, and a book about King Richard the Lionhearted. She wonders how many mistakes this history professor made. 

"It still bothers me how Wandisa made so many images of me killing her." 

"Would you prefer it be the other way around?" 

"I think I'd prefer something in between. After all, I'm far from perfect." 

"I know." 

"You don't have to agree so quickly. At least pretend to think about it for a while." 

Nick drops her off at the church and she walks in along with the crowd of parishioners. 

* * *

Amanda sits inside the base of one of Wandisa's statues; this is the fourth night she has been doing the Trojan Horse routine and she's almost finished with her book. She wonders what possessed her to propose this idea; she can't remember ever being this bored. 

She hears some rustling and a door bursts open. Amanda whispers into her microphone, "This is it." 

"What shall we smash first?" 

Amanda opens the statue's base, scrambles out, and jumps to her feet. She shines her flashlight on the four intruders, revealing a big husky man, a short woman, and two skinny average sized men. They all have hammers except the big man, who has a sledgehammer. 

"Make it easy on yourselves. Put your hammers down and sit quietly in the pews." 

One of the thin men waves his empty arm in a wide arc. "Who is committing the crime here? All this wealth scammed from people. How much misery have these myths caused?" 

"So you aim to right this perceived injustice with vandalism?" 

"It's a statement." 

The woman screams, "Enough talk!" She charges at Amanda, who drops low and trips the woman. The big man steps forward and Amanda gives a flying kick to his chest. The two thin men scramble for the door. Amanda steps towards them then stops and speaks into her microphone, "Two are headed out the door and there are two more in here." 

The woman runs up behind Amanda. Amanda turns around, grabs the woman's hammer hand, flips her over her back, strips away the hammer and throws it down the aisle. The man swings his sledgehammer at Amanda. She ducks under the swing, trips him, pulls the sledgehammer away from him, and hits him in the gut with the hammer's handle. The woman takes a kick at Amanda who blocks the kick with the hammer's handle. Amanda sweeps the woman's other leg. 

Nick and Bert come into the church. Each of them has one of the men handcuffed in tow. 

"It's about time." 

Nick glances at the big man and the woman. "We didn't think you needed our help." 

"Yes, but you missed the show." 

* * *

Wandisa is working on her broken sculpture as Amanda and Nick walk into the church. 

"Amanda, Nick, congratulations on solving the case." 

"Thank you, I see you're putting me back together nicely." 

"Thank you, Amanda." Wandisa picks up a newspaper that has pictures of the four perpetrators. 

"I could see the men, but the woman, she's so beautiful." 

"Wandisa, you're old enough to know what's on the outside doesn't say what's on the inside." 

"What's on the inside usually reflects outward. After all, look at yourself." 

Amanda taps on the sculpture's base. "Wandisa, that's not the first time I used the base of your statues." 

* * *

**PARIS, 1853**

Amanda picks the lock on the church. Disguised with men's dark clothes and a black cape, she has a large black bag with her. 

_The one problem I had when pulling a heist is I could only carry so much. One way around it was to get a man for a partner ... which has some drawbacks. I would have to share and they could also gum up the works. You provided a way around that._

Amanda puts some valuables in her bag then carries it to the sculpture of herself as St. Michael the Archangel. She opens the base and puts the valuables inside, then goes to steal some more. 

* * *

Amanda kneels by the statue wearing a black dress and shawl. An old woman crosses herself and walks out of the church. Amanda scans the church and sees it's empty. She opens the statue's base, slips out a jeweled crown and puts it in a sack tied to the inside of her dress. 

_The 19th century dresses were excellent for hiding things._

* * *

**PARIS, 1859**

Amanda is in the church. She is wearing an Almeda. Kneeling by the statue, she has an eye on a priest who is walking down the aisle. When the priest walks into the sacristy Amanda opens the statue's base, takes out a chalice, and tucks it in a sleeve inside a fold in her dress. Then she repeats the process with a second chalice. 

_I used them as my piggy bank._

* * *

**VERONA, 1880**

Amanda kneels by one of Wandisa's sculptures. Two elderly women walk out of the church, leaving her alone. She takes a bag of stolen jewels out of the rear of her dress. 

_I made deposits as well as withdrawals._

* * *

**LYON, 1949**

Amanda has on black pants, a pullover shirt, and a bag full of loot. She picks a church's lock and hears a police whistle. She ducks inside the church and runs up to one of Wandisa's sculptures and hides inside the base. 

_They were also good if I needed a place to hide out._

Police officers came into the church with shouts and exhortations for her to give herself up. 

* * *

**VENICE, 1964**

_Yes, I also did the Trojan Horse routine._

Amanda sits inside the base as men carry a sculpture into a museum. 

* * *

**PRESENT TIME**

Wandisa's face smarts then freezes. "I guess it's true nobody's perfect. Even if they have a perfect body." 

"Still friends?" 

"Still friends, but you must promise never again to use my work for ill purposes." 

"I've gone straight, honest. I promise." 

"Thank you." 

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Amanda and Nick arrive at Wandisa's art exhibition, who greets them at the door. She is well made up. "Amanda, Nick, I'm so glad you could come." 

"Thank you for inviting us." 

A young woman walks quickly up to them. "Ms. Mattera, Ms. De Turenne is asking for you. I think she's ready to buy." 

"Thank you. Excuse me a moment won't you?" 

"Of course, darling." 

Wandisa follows the young woman. Amanda and Nick take a glass of champagne from a passing server, Amanda also grabs an hors d'oeuvre off another server's plate. 

"Well Nick, let's see what she did with our images." 

There is a sculpture of Wandisa in Nick's arms, both dressed in American West clothing. Another sculpture depicts Nick with his arm around Wandisa and wearing safari outfits. There is a sculpture of them in Australian Outback clothing. Another sculpture has them dressed as American Midwest farmers. The sculptures' settings complement Wandisa's appearance and make her a perfect blend with Nick. 

Nick turns to Amanda. "This doesn't make you jealous?" 

"Not at all. There's nothing wrong with a little healthy competition." 

**THE END**

* * *

© 03.30.2005   
Please send comments to the author! 

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